LEXINGTON, KY (April 4, 2015) – Brereton Jones’ Lovely Maria took command turning into the stretch en route to a 3¼-length victory over Angela Renee to win the 78th running of the $500,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) for 3-year-old fillies and pick up 100 points and a guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the $1 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) to be run May 1 at Churchill Downs.

“She did (get the jump on us) and she was running hard at us (in the Grade 3 Rachel Alexandra at Fair Grounds) at the end. It made me think we had our work cut out for us – thank goodness Lovely Maria and (jockey) Kerwin (Clark) were ready for it.”

After Saturday’s $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1), the postrace press conference with the winning connections will be held immediately in a new location: the room next to First Aid just off the Paddock Tunnel.